I Totally Hate Those Annoying Cliffhangers
by I Speak Sarcasm
Summary: Told from Corny's point of view, oneshot Corny/Maybelle


Mr. Corny Collins was one of the most well-known men in Baltimore, Maryland. He was _definitely _the most well-known man by the teen set. Everyone loved his show and thought that it was a very good way to introduce teenagers to working on television. He made so much from the show that he could have anything he could possibly want!

Well, almost anything.

Society didn't approve of the thing he most wanted. Or should I say, society didn't approve of him actually _getting _the thing that he most wanted.

The thing that he most wanted in the world was Motormouth Maybelle, his co-host on the show.

He definitely didn't care what society thought; if he did, he probably would have quit the show to avoid working with her on planning songs and dances and such. But no. He savored every moment that he spent sitting beside her, watching her, and listening to her sing… Because oh did he positively _love _listening to her sing. He thought she may know how he felt, about her singing, at least – because whenever she was around him and they weren't having a discussion about the show, she always seemed to be humming or singing, and never the same song twice.

But no matter how much he wanted Maybelle, he never said anything out of the ordinary, especially around Velma Von Tussle, who would probably scoff and fire them both. And then where would Corny be? He would never be able to see Maybelle again.

He started to get tired of conforming to Velma's rules, though. He watched as Velma insulted the girls auditioning for Brenda's now empty spot on the council, and got irritated when she found small things wrong with the ones who could truly dance.

And so, when he saw one of the girls whom he liked the most dancing at the Hop in her own way, he leaped at the chance to add her to the show.

Velma was furious he had gone around her authority. He just felt even more pleased with himself. During their argument, he began to feel incredibly rebellious. Suddenly, an idea popped into his head. "Now I've got some new ideas for the show. I think we should get rid of Negro Day-"

"Finally, some sense outa you!" Velma interrupted.

Before she could get too happy, though… "-and mix those kids in with the rest of the council."

Well after that comment, she most definitely wasn't happy.

He wasn't quite sure why he decided to steer the conversation in that direction. Perhaps it was because he didn't think this girl, Tracy, was worth arguing about. He didn't want to admit, even to himself, the other possibility.

Tracy Turnblad ended up very popular. She started receiving flowers and other gifts, as well as the attention that Velma most likely wanted to go to her own daughter. Corny enjoyed watching the girl that he selected rising to the top of it all.

And then, all of a sudden, it happened.

Velma called for a meeting between herself, Corny, and Maybelle one day after a show.

"I have decided," she began. "That Negro Day is to be discontinued."

Maybelle and Corny stared at each other, and then at Velma. At they same time they said, "What?! Why?!"

She tapped her foot impatiently. "Negro Day is a great placeholder and all… The kids love having a day off sometimes. It's just that our ratings could be so much better without it."

Maybelle looked furious. Surely she was joking – cruelly joking, to be sure. Corny had half a mind to quite right on the spot. The nerve of Velma… But what could would it really do? Velma would find a new host, and no one would ever find out why he had left. Before he could think of something to say, Maybelle did.

"I think that is the stupidest excuse ever. At least come up with an actually almost _possible _reason."

Velma smirked. "I don't know what you're talking about. All I said was the truth." Then she marched off in the direction of her office.

Maybelle glared after her. "She has _some _nerve. How am I going to break this to the kids?" She looked incredibly upset, and corny wanted nothing more at that moment than to hug her and comfort her and make her feel better. But he knew that that kind of thing was _not _in his job description.

"We'll do something about it, Maybelle. It may just take some time."

She smiled at him. "Thank you Corny, but that's really not necessary. I can't think of anything that you could really do to help. But that's a very kind thought."

Corny smiled back. He didn't like the fact that he didn't want his help, but he wasn't about to push it upon her; Maybelle was smart, and she would be able to think of something.

When he saw her and many others on the news that following Friday… It wasn't exactly what he had had in mind. Finding out that Tracy had been marching as well didn't exactly _amuse _him… But it definitely made him smile a bit. She seemed to be quite the outspoken girl. He worried about all of them, hoping that they wouldn't get hurt, and would have the common sense to stay out of trouble if they got arrested.

And so you can imagine his joy when, at the Miss Hairspray pageant, his eyes landed on her standing near the back, probably trying to avoid being seen, with her daughter Inez and son Seaweed.

Amber kept getting every single vote, and when it was her turn to dance he found himself rolling his eyes. Something didn't seem right. But he kept smiling, because they were in the middle of the show. What an event it would be if he decided to stop it because of such a small suspicion.

She finished dancing, and he accepted the envelope. Amber Von Tussle's name was indeed inside. Sighing, he said, "It is my… obligation… to announce that Amber Von Tussle-"

"Is about to get out-danced."

Everyone spun around to the source of the voice, and Corny smiled as he was able to say, "Tracy Turnblad!" Amber hadn't officially won, not yet.

The kids started to veer away from the actual contest, dancing and singing with each other instead of competing. Seaweed brought a girl on the screen and ended up kidding her in front of every single viewer in Baltimore. Chuckling, Corny said, "Live television, there's nothing like it!" It was really true… The girl seemed to realize that she was in front of the whole city and hurried off; Seaweed high-fived Corny before heading off after her.

The energy began to tone down when Corny took the new envelope and opened it. Tracy had been getting an incredible amount of votes, yet she hadn't won. Instead the winner was… "Inez Stubbs!" She, just like Tracy, had received an incredibly amount of votes, but hers was more like a tidal wave all at once. And he wasn't going to complain.

Especially when he glanced to the side and saw Maybelle jumping up and down and getting incredibly excited along with those standing beside her. If judging by her was anything to go by, the energy level was going right back up; not that he had a problem with this.

To make his point, he said, "The Corny Collins Show is now and forever officially integrated!" His show was integrated, which he had been trying to convince Velma to do for quite some time. She looked disgusted, but everyone else looked so overjoyed, particularly Maybelle and her son.

Perhaps some hosts would get irritated with these people practically taking over their shows, but Corny didn't care. He was having the time of his life, although knew he'd have to take the initiative to actually end it eventually. He wasn't sure how he'd do so quite yet…

But then he got an idea. All of these people were singing about life, and acceptance, and all of that. Who else could have do the same but one of the best singers that he knew?

Velma came up to him while he was thinking this over and hissed, "Corny, do something! This show is turning to gumbo!"

Corny shook his head, stepping down from his place in the back by the Miss Hairspray board. "Not a chance Velma. This is the future."

Leaving her gaping after him, he walked towards Maybelle. "Come on Maybelle. This is your time."

She knew what he wanted her to do. He walked back to his place while she moved in front of the camera. "It's time to wrap this mutha up!" She continued along the same train of thought that others had started, but Corny couldn't help thinking that it was so much more fascinating coming from her mouth.

She stopped far too soon for his liking. He wanted nothing more than for her to continue singing.

Until she came back and began dancing with him.

And then he was strangely okay with the fact that she was in the back with him instead of in front of the camera singing.

Inez came up to be crowned the new Miss Hairspray, and Corny lowered the crown onto her head to great applause. When his hands dropped to his sides, Maybelle's own hand found one of his. "Thank you," she whispered.

Corny found himself blushing. "I didn't vote for her, Maybelle. It's all of Baltimore you should be thanking."

She shook her head. "Thank you for not being like Velma, and supporting segregation; thank you for _letting_ Baltimore's votes count." She looked incredibly earnest as she said this. For a moment, Corny couldn't think of a response. But then he glanced town at the kids and saw that Link and Tracy were standing in the middle of them all, kissing.

Well, he thought. I suppose that's an idea.


End file.
